Most Eligible Dad by Karen Rose Smith

Author:Karen Rose Smith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Silhouette
Published: 1996-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Jessie’s pulse rate increased as she tidied up after supper on Tuesday. It was always like that when she knew she’d be seeing Gavin. Just the thought of him…

She shut a cupboard door with a forceful bang. She’d been in control of her life for the past nine years, and his unexpected reappearance had stirred up insecurities she’d thought she’d put to rest. It had also stirred up feelings she’d never expected to experience again. She thought about his question, What are you waiting for? She’d had no interest in dating anyone. She’d had no interest in finding a father for her daughter. Why?

Had she unconsciously been waiting for Gavin to come back into her life?

That was ridiculous. Just because she’d loved him once…

Maybe her heart knew better than her mind. Maybe she should listen to it.

And maybe you’ll get hurt again if you do.

Ah, the voice of caution. She knew it well.

Marly and Lisa giggled and chattered as they dressed in their recital clothes. As seven-thirty approached, they came down to the living room, set up the tape player and made sure everything was ready. They decided on a last-minute practice as seven-thirty came and went. Jessie felt her anger building as the hands on the clock approached eight and there was no word from Gavin. To keep the girls occupied, she popped popcorn and poured glasses of iced tea. But by eight-thirty, their disappointment showed.

“He’s not coming, is he?” Lisa asked.

“I don’t know what to tell you, honey.”

Marly offered, “Maybe he forgot.”

“Can you call him, Mom?” Lisa’s tone suddenly grew hopeful.

Jessie went to the kitchen phone and dialed Gavin’s apartment number rather than his pager. After all, this wasn’t an emergency. She let it ring ten times. “He’s not there, sweetheart. You know he said he was on call.”

Her daughter frowned. “He said he’d come.”

“If he didn’t have an emergency.”

“But he didn’t call.”

“I know. But maybe he couldn’t. Marly, why don’t you call your mom and see if she’ll let you stay overnight. Then you and Lisa can have a pajama party.”

“And stay up late?”

“How’s ten o’clock?”

Lisa and Marly exchanged glances, then nodded. Lisa looked a little happier as Marly called Shannon. Her best friend’s smile said her mother had given her permission to stay. Then Marly held out the phone to Jessie. “She wants to talk to you.”

Jessie took the receiver. “Go on up and get out of your costumes.”

The girls bounded out of the kitchen as she put the phone to her ear.

“Are you sure it’s okay?” Shannon asked.

“It’s a consolation prize. Gavin didn’t show up.”

“Jessie…”

“With Marly here, hopefully Lisa will forget her disappointment.”

“Will you?” her friend asked.

“I’m not thinking about me right now. I’ll see you tomorrow morning about eight.”

After Jessie hung up, she felt tears prick her eyes. She blinked them away. But it wasn’t as easy to blink away the pain in her heart.

Lisa and Marly were painting each other’s fingernails with Jessie’s nail polish when the phone rang at nine-thirty. Jessie picked it up, took a deep breath and said, “Windsor residence.

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